ABHISHEK GOYAL

B.TECH FOOD TECHNOLOGY

9999921744
NATURAL FOOD COLOUR:
Natural Food Color is any dye, pigment or any other substance obtained from vegetable,
animal, mineral, or source capable of coloring food drug, or cosmetic, colors come from
variety of sources such as seeds, fruits, vegetables, algae & insect.

Ancient Romans used saffron and other spices to put a rich yellow color into various
foods. Other natural foods such as carrots, pomegranates, grapes, mulberries, spinach,
beets, parsley, and flowers were also used as food coloring agents.

CATEGORIES OF NATURAL FOOD COLOURS :

1. Plant: Plant based colours come from various parts of the plant. The leaves, roots,
flowers, fruit all provide colouring agents. Turmeric, Chlorophyll, blueberry juice,
beetroot juice and so on.
2. Animal: An extremely well known animal based colour is cochineal or carmine.
Derived from the body fluid of an insect, it has been widely used over the years.
3. Mineral: Mineral colours in food include Titanium dioxide which imparts an
opaque appearance to the food.
Natural food colours are available in different forms, as powders, pastes and liquids

DIFFICULTIES WITH NATURAL FOOD COLOURS :

 Unappetizing appearance:
 Since food is a sensory experience it is only natural that consumers want their food
to look good as well as taste great. Natural food colours are by and large less luminous
and fluorescent than their synthetic counterparts.
 Limited usage:
 Natural colours cannot be used in all products. Beet colour can be used in a Soda
but not in cake. In milk it turns blue rather than red It doesn’t hold up to baking either.
 Colour Stability and Fading:
 Natural colours are often extremely unstable. They tend to deteriorate and
breakdown quickly.
 Heat Sensitivity:
 Natural colours tend to break down with the application of heat more easily.
 Price and Availability:
 Natural colours are marginally more expensive and more difficult to find than
synthetic colours.
EXTRANEOUS ADDITION OF COLOURING MATTER TO BE MENTIONED
ON THE LABEL

Where an extraneous coloring matter has been added to any article of food, there shall be
displayed one of the following statements in capital letters, just beneath the list of
ingredients on the label attached to any package of food so colored, namely :

(i)CONTAINS PERMITTED NATURAL COLOUR(S)

OR
(ii)CONTAINS PERMITTED SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR(S
OR
(iii) CONTAINS PERMITTED NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC FOOD COLOUR(S)
OR
(iv) CONTAINS PERMITTED NATURAL*/ AND* SYNTHETIC*COLOUR(S)

NATURAL COLOURING MATTERS WITCH MAY BE USED

Except as otherwise provided in the rules the following natural colouring principles
whether isolated from natural colours or produced synthetically may be used in or upon
any article of food:

1. CHLOROPHYLL (E-140):

FOOD USE:
Dairy products/ Soft drinks/ Alcoholic drinks/ Sugars and preserves/ Confectionery/
Vinegars, pickles and sauces/ Decorations and coatings/ Edible ices/ Desserts

Appearance:
Waxy solid ranging in colour from olive green to dark green depending on the content of
co-ordinated Magnesium.

Note:
Exposure to meat (>65°C) – particularly if prolonged – will denature the pigment, with the
colour becoming progressively more yellow.

PERMITTED DOSAGE ACCORDING TO PFA:

Chiku, papaya, pomegranate, custard apple, plums, raspberries- 200ppm max.
Candid crystallized & glazed fruits- 200ppm max.
Squashes, crushes, fruit syrups, sharbats- 200ppm max. (on dilution)
Green chilli paste, ginger paste, onion paste- GMP
Cheese/sliced/cut shredded, processed cheese-100mg/kg max.

Legislation:
USA: UK and EUROPE: CANADA:
Not permitted unless Permitted according to European Permitted
as a vegetable juice Parliament and Council Directive
94/36/EC of June 30th 1994
AUSTRALIA:
Permitted OTHER COUNTRIES
Generally permitted in most
countries of the world

2. RIBOFLAVIN(LACTOFLAVIN)(E-);

FOOD USE:
Confectionery/ Cereal products/ Sauces/ Dairy products

Appearance:
Yellow to orange-yellow crystalline powder

PERMITTED DOSAGE ACCORDING TO PFA:

Fruit base beverage mix/powdered fruit based beverages- 200ppm max.
Candid crystallized & glazed fruits- 200ppm max.
Green chilli paste, ginger paste, onion paste- GMP
Cheese/sliced/cut shredded, processed cheese-100mg/kg max.

Legislation:

USA: UK and EUROPE: CANADA:

Not permitted as Permitted according to European Permitted
Food colour Parliament and Council Directive
94/36/EC of June 30th 1994
for Use in Foodstuffs. AUSTRALIA:
Permitted

3. CARAMEL(E-150a);

FOOD USE:

Baked goods/ Cereal and cereal products/ Dairy products/ Meat and poultry products/ Soft
drinks/Alcoholic drinks/ Sugars and preserves/ Confectionery/ Vinegars, pickles and
sauces/ Decorations and coatings/ Edible ices/ Desserts/ Seasonings

Appearance:
A dark-brown black viscous liquid or brown powder

PERMITTED DOSAGE ACCORDING TO PFA:

Chocolate-white milk, plain, composite, filled-100ppm max. (filled chocolate only)
Chewing gums/bubble gums -GMP
Fruit base beverage mix/powdered fruit based beverages- 200ppm max.
Candid crystallized & glazed fruits- 200ppm max.
Squashes, crushes, fruit syrups, sharbats- 200ppm max. (on dilution)

Legislation:
USA: CANADA:
Permitted Permitted
UK and EUROPE: AUSTRALIA:
Permitted according to European Parliament and Permitted
th
Council Directive 94/36/EC of June 30 1994for Use in Foodstuffs.

4. ANNATTO(E-160b):

FOOD USE:
Yellow fats/ Decorations/ Coatings/ Seasonings/ Edible ices/ Liqueurs/ Cheese/ Baked
goods/ Dairy products/ Smoked fish/ Desserts/ Confectionery/ Vinegar, pickles and
sauces/ Cereals and cereal products.

Appearance:
Reddish-brown powder, suspension or solution

Note:
Heat and light-stability are generally good. However, with annatto being a carotenoid,
sensitivity to oxidation can be a problem.

PERMITTED DOSAGE ACCORDING TO PFA:

Table margarine/bakery and industrial margarine/fat spread- 20mg/kg max.
Fruit base beverage mix/powdered fruit based beverages- 200ppm max.
Candid crystallized & glazed fruits- 200ppm max.
Ginger cocktail- 200ppm max.
Green chilli paste, ginger paste, onion paste- GMP

Legislation:
USA: UK and EUROPE: CANADA:
Permitted as non-certified Permitted according to European Permitted
food colour according to 21 Parliament and Council Directive
CFR 7330, 73.1030, 73.2030 94/36/EC of June 30th 1994
for Use in Foodstuffs. AUSTRALIA:
Permitted
OTHER COUNTRIES:
Generally permitted in most countries
5. CURUMIN OR TURMERIC (E-100(i)):
FOOD USE:
Baked goods/ Cereals and cereal products/ Dairy products/ Smoked fish/ Fish and seafood
products/Meat and poultry products/ Egg products/ Fruit, vegetable and nut products/
Canned soft drinks/Snacks/ Soups/ Sugars and preserves/ Confectionery/ Vinegar, pickles
and sauces/ Mustard/Decorations and coatings/ Edible ices/ Desserts/ Seasonings.
Appearance:
Orange-yellow crystalline powder

Note:
Curcumin is generally used in an emulsified solution, in which case it is water-dispersible.
Contact with alkalis should be avoided.
The greatest limitation on curcumin is its tendency to fade on exposure to light (photo-
oxidation).

PERMITTED DOSAGE ACCORDING TO PFA:

Table margarine/bakery and industrial margarine/fat spread- 5mg/kg max.
Fruit base beverage mix/powdered fruit based beverages- 200ppm max.
Candid crystallized & glazed fruits- 200ppm max.
squashes, crushes, fruit syrups, sharbats- 200ppm max. (on dilution)
green chilli paste, ginger paste, onion paste- GMP
cheese/sliced/cut shredded, processed cheese-100mg/kg max.

Legislation:
USA: UK and EUROPE: CANADA:
GRAS, permitted as non-certified Permitted according to European Permitted
food colour Parliament and Council Directive
94/36/EC of June 30th 1994
AUSTRALIA:
Permitted OTHER COUNTRIES:
Generally permitted in most countries.

6. BETA-CAROTENE (E-160a(ii)):

FOOD USE:

Baked goods/ Cereal and cereal products/ Dairy products/ Fish and seafood products/
Meat and poultry products/ Egg products/ Fruit, vegetable and nut products/ Soft drinks/
Sugars and preserves/Confectionery/ Vinegar, pickles and sauces/ Decorations and
coatings/ Edible ices/ Desserts/Seasonings.

Appearance:
Red to brownish-red crystals or crystalline powder
PERMITTED DOSAGE ACCORDING TO PFA:
Table margarine/bakery and industrial margarine/fat spread- 25mg/kg max.
Fruit base beverage mix/powdered fruit based beverages- 200ppm max.
Candid crystallized & glazed fruits- 200ppm max.
squashes, crushes, fruit syrups, sharbats- 200ppm max. (on dilution)
green chilli paste, ginger paste, onion paste- GMP
cheese/sliced/cut shredded, processed cheese-100mg/kg max.

Legislation:
USA: UK and EUROPE: CANADA:
Permitted as a non-certified Permitted according to European Permitted
food colour. Parliament and Council Directive
94/36/EC of June 30th 1994
AUSTRALIA:
Permitted OTHER COUNTRIES:
Generally permitted in most countries